Chevrolet Sonic Owner's Manual: Infants and Young Children

Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! This includes infants and all other children.
Neither the distance traveled nor the age and size of the traveler changes the need,
for everyone, to use safety restraints. In fact, the law in every state in the United
States and in every Canadian province says children up to some age must be restrained
while in a vehicle.

Warning

Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a shoulder belt is wrapped
around their neck and the safety belt continues to tighten. Never leave children
unattended in a vehicle and never allow children to play with the safety belts.

Every time infants and young children ride in vehicles, they should have the
protection provided by appropriate child restraints. Neither the vehicle's safety
belt system nor its airbag system is designed for them.

Children who are not restrained properly can strike other people, or can be thrown
out of the vehicle.

Warning

Never hold an infant or a child while riding in a vehicle. Due to crash forces,
an infant or a child will become so heavy it is not possible to hold it during a
crash. For example, in a crash at only 40 km/h (25 mph), a 5.5 kg (12 lb) infant
will suddenly become a 110 kg (240 lb) force on a person's arms. An infant should
be secured in an appropriate restraint.

Warning

Children who are up against, or very close to, any airbag when it inflates
can be seriously injured or killed. Never put a rear-facing child restraint in the
right front seat. Secure a rear-facing child restraint in a rear seat. It is also
better to secure a forward-facing child restraint in a rear seat. If you must secure
a forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat, always move the front
passenger seat as far back as it will go.

Q: What are the different types of add-on child restraints?

A: Add-on child restraints, which are purchased by the vehicle owner, are available
in four basic types. Selection of a particular restraint should take into consideration
not only the child's weight, height, and age but also whether or not the restraint
will be compatible with the motor vehicle in which it will be used.

For most basic types of child restraints, there are many different models available.
When purchasing a child restraint, be sure it is designed to be used in a motor
vehicle. If it is, the restraint will have a label saying that it meets federal
motor vehicle safety standards.

The restraint manufacturer instructions that come with the restraint state the
weight and height limitations for a particular child restraint. In addition, there
are many kinds of restraints available for children with special needs.

Warning

To reduce the risk of neck and head injury during a crash, infants need complete
support. In a crash, if an infant is in a rear-facing child restraint, the crash
forces can be distributed across the strongest part of an infant's body, the back
and shoulders. Infants should always be secured in rear-facing child restraints.

Warning

A young child's hip bones are still so small that the vehicle's regular safety
belt may not remain low on the hip bones, as it should. Instead, it may settle up
around the child's abdomen. In a crash, the belt would apply force on a body area
that is unprotected by any bony structure. This alone could cause serious or fatal
injuries. To reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries during a crash, young
children should always be secured in appropriate child restraints.

Rear-Facing Infant Seat
A rear-facing infant seat provides restraint with the seating surface against
the back of the infant.
The harness system holds the infant in place and, in a crash, acts t ...

Other materials:

Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant women. Like all occupants,
they are more likely to be seriously injured if they do not wear safety belts.
A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt, and the lap portion should
be worn as low as possible, below the rounding, throughout ...